GAA Palestine denied visas for summer tour of Ireland

A group of players and mentors from GAA Palestine have had their visa applications denied days before a summer tour in the Republic of Ireland.

The group of 47 Palestinians - children and coaches - from the West Bank were scheduled to participate in a tour of the country later this month.

The Department of justice, home affairs and migration said that a lack of compliance with visa application criteria was the reason for the visa denials.

GAA Palestine have said they are "deeply disappointed and shocked" by the decision.

Last week, the club changed plans to travel to Northern Ireland due to "unexpected" visa delays.

The club said the visa applications were submitted in mid May, with "comprehensive documentation" which included detailed plans for visits to various GAA clubs across Ireland.

It added that the applicants, comprising 33 children, had fulfilled all requested requirements and provided all necessary documentation.

The club said it was "under the impression that all necessary documentation and information had been provided and met the requirements for visa approval as stated by the Irish Embassy in Israel".

The Chairperson of GAA Palestine, Stephen Redmond, said a volunteer was sent to the West Bank to assist with the application process.

Mr Redmond said volunteers across Ireland are "utterly and completely devastated" by the denial of the visas.

The tour was scheduled to begin on 18 July, with more than 100 Irish families volunteering to host the Palestinian group, and numerous GAA clubs fundraising to support the visit.

"The event was set to promote cultural exchange, friendship, and mutual understanding, and its cancellation is a significant setback for all involved," Mr Redmond said.

He said GAA Palestine remained "committed to collaborating closely with the Department of Justice to resolve this matter swiftly."

Taking questions in the Dáil (Irish parliament) on Thursday the Tánaiste (deputy Prime Minister) Simon Harris said: "Unfortunately, not all people will be able to demonstrate that they satisfy the conditions to be granted a visa to come to Ireland.

"The granting of a visa is a very important legal document in our migration system."

He added that 33 children were not travelling in the company of their parents.

"These applications were given very careful consideration," he said.

"A visa officer has to be satisfied that children are traveling under the company of their parents or an appropriate guardian. Additional documents, such as birth certs, consent letters are regularly requested to establish the relationship.

"There is an appeals process under way."

In a statement, Sinn Féin TD (MP) Matt Carthy said: "It is incomprehensible that a resolution could not be found to address any issues with visa applications."

Carthy said he wrote to relevant ministers three weeks ago urging them to ensure that the visa process was "concluded swiftly" but received no response.

He called on Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan to urgently intervene and review the decision, adding that the children involved "deserve more than bureaucratic refusals".

Social Democrats TD Sinéad Gibney said the government should be "moving heaven and earth" to ensure the group can travel to the country.

"For the department to raise issues with their paperwork now, days before they are due to fly to Ireland, is both heartless and cruel," she said in a statement.

"If there were any issues, they should have been raised long ago."

She added that the government regularly uses strong language when it talks about Gaza and Palestine but "it is never followed up by action".

The Department of justice, home affairs and migration, said: "Each visa application is decided on its own merits.

"Confirming that appropriate child protection requirements are in place is essential when considering visa applications for minors.

"This includes a requirement that a child is travelling with their parents or an appropriate guardian, which requires additional documents to be verified such as birth certificates and consent letters," it added.

"In adult cases, evidence of financial means, employment or other ties that indicate a person intends to return home are important criteria. These help to establish that a person has a legitimate reason to come to Ireland, and that they will comply with the conditions of a short-term visa.

"An application will be refused if it cannot demonstrate compliance with such conditions. "